System, device and method for distributing link state information in a communication network

1. A method of distributing link state information by a node to a neighbor node in a communication network, the method comprising:

implementing a link state routing protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages to the neighbor node without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages, wherein said window size is based at least in part on a round trip delay to the neighbor node;

waiting a predetermined time period following a transmission of a first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted for an acknowledgement of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted, wherein the acknowledgement confirms correct receipt of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted; and

retransmitting the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted and at least one other link state advertisement protocol message transmitted subsequent to the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted upon failing to receive an acknowledgement of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted within the predetermined time period following transmission of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein implementing a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages comprises:

identifying link state advertisement messages that should be sent to the neighbor node; and

maintaining a sliding window for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement messages to the neighbor node without receiving an acknowledgement message for any of said link state advertisement messages.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein implementing a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages comprises:

sending a first link state advertisement message to the neighbor node; and

sending a second link state advertisement message to the neighbor node without receiving an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node for the first link state advertisement.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein implementing a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages comprises:

sending a first link state advertisement message to the neighbor node; and

sending a second link state advertisement message to the neighbor node prior to receiving an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node for the first link state advertisement.

5. The method of claim 3 , comprising:

monitoring for an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for the first link state advertisement; and

retransmitting the first link state advertisement upon failing to receive an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for the first link state advertisement within the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising retransmitting the second link state advertisement.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein implementing a link state routing protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages comprises:

sending the predetermined maximum number of link state advertisements to a neighbor node; and

waiting for an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for at least one of the link state advertisements before sending another link state advertisement to the neighbor node.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement from the neighbor node, wherein said acknowledgement acknowledges multiple link state advertisements simultaneously; and

sending another link state advertisement to the neighbor node after receiving the acknowledgement.

9. The method of claim 7 , comprising retransmitting at least a first unacknowledged link state advertisement upon failing to receive an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node within a predetermined time period.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising sending an acknowledgement from the neighbor node to the node in response to receiving a link state advertisement from the node.

11. A communication network, comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each operable to implement a link state routing protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages to a neighbor node without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages, waiting a predetermined time period following a transmission of a first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted for an acknowledgement of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted, wherein the acknowledgement confirms correct receipt of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted, and for retransmitting the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted and at least one other link state advertisement protocol message transmitted subsequent to the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted upon failing to receive an acknowledgement of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted within the predetermined time period following transmission of the first one of the link state advertisement protocol messages transmitted.

12. The network of claim 11 , wherein each node is operable to implement a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages by:

identifying link state advertisement messages that should be sent to the neighbor node; and

maintaining a sliding window for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement messages to the neighbour node without receiving an acknowledgement message for any of said link state advertisement messages.

13. The network of claim 11 , wherein each node is operable to implement a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages by:

sending a respective first link state advertisement message to the neighbor node; and sending a respective second link state advertisement message to the neighbor node without receiving an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node for the respective first link state advertisement.

14. The network of claim 11 , wherein each node is operable to implement a link state protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages by:

sending a respective first link state advertisement message to the neighbor node; and

sending a respective second link state advertisement message to the neighbor node prior to receiving an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node for the respective first link state advertisement.

15. The network of claim 13 , wherein each node is operable:

to monitor for an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for the respective first link state advertisement; and

to retransmit the first link state advertisement upon failing to receive an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for the respective first link state advertisement within the predetermined time period.

16. The network of claim 15 , wherein each node is operable to retransmit the respective second link state advertisement.

17. The network of claim 11 , wherein each node is operable to implement a link state routing protocol having a sliding window mechanism with a window size greater than one (1) for sending up to a predetermined maximum number of link state advertisement protocol messages without receiving an acknowledgement for any of said link state advertisement protocol messages by:

sending the predetermined maximum number of link state advertisements to a neighbor node; and

waiting for an acknowledgement from the neighbor node for at least one of the link state advertisements before sending another link state advertisement to the neighbor node.

18. The network of claim 17 , wherein each node is operable:

to receive an acknowledgement from the neighbor node, wherein said acknowledgement acknowledges multiple link state advertisements simultaneously; and

to send another link state advertisement to the neighbor node after receiving the acknowledgement.

19. The network of claim 17 , wherein each node is operable to retransmit at least a first unacknowledged link state advertisement upon failing to receive an acknowledgement message from the neighbor node within a predetermined time period.

20. The network of claim 11 , wherein each node is operable to send an acknowledgement to a the neighbor node to the node in response to receiving a link state advertisement from the neighbor node.